Beautiful Mess
by EruditeWitch
Summary: Rose has a crush. Scorpius has a secret. Will their friendship survive it? Lyrics provided by Jason Mraz


Beautiful Mess

_You've got the best of both worlds  
You're the kind of girl who can take down a man,  
And lift him back up again/I_

Rose Weasley sat perched carefully in her favorite tree on the Hogwarts grounds as the sun began to sink out of the sky. At seventeen, she thought she should feel ridiculous climbing trees, but she couldn't resist the allure of the bark against her hands, the smell of leaves just before fall and, of course, being up as high as she could. It was her first day back at school and she had been named Head Girl. She fingered a delicate leaf sadly, knowing that with N.E.W.T.s, Quidditch, and her new position, she would not have much time for this sort of thing anymore.

"It's bittersweet, dear, turning seventeen. You get all of the privileges of being an adult witch, but you have to say goodbye to so much of your childhood in a very short period of time," her mother had wisely said on her birthday during the previous month. Rose had laughed at the notion that giving up the dirty knees and awkward clumsy gait of her formative years would be anywhere near sad, but sitting up in _her_ tree and facing _her_ roughest year yet, Rose did feel she missed just being able to enjoy being at school without all of the pressure that came with being the daughter of two brilliant and powerful war heroes. Rose twirled her wand in her fingers and sighed. The Welcoming Feast was almost over and she needed to meet the Head Boy and go to her new room.

Just then, the other reason she I_loved__/I_ her tree so much came out of Greenhouse Seven. I_He__/I_ had two large clay pots in his arms, and when he placed them in the setting sun, he brushed his hands all over his khaki trousers, causing Rose to smile to herself and imagine coming up to him and running her hands over his body to brush off the spare soil. She was happy to be able to watch him undetected like she had when she was a little girl. Rose had loved this man since the time she first learned what love was, since the day he helped her make a daisy chain for her hair when she was six years old.

Rose Weasley was helplessly in love with Professor Longbottom.

She knew he was married. She was even friends with his son, Cameron, who was a chaser on her Quidditch team. Rose knew Professor Longbottom was her parent's friend, and that his family was practically just an extension of her own large clan. She knew he was 25 years older than she was. Rose Weasley was not stupid; she knew all the reasons she shouldn't love Neville Longbottom.

But on the other hand, the reasons why she was so drawn to Neville always won out in her heart. Neville Longbottom was a hero, as were her parents and Uncle Harry, but he was so quiet and restrained that no one would ever know it. He was tall, broad, and had a gentle smile that could put her normally nervous mind at ease. The fact that his deep brown eyes perfectly matched his hair seemed somehow to complement his other assets perfectly.

Rose breathed deeply, feeling foolish. She was finally of age, yet she still spied on her professor from a tree. She looked down at her chest, thinking about how beautiful Mrs. Longbottom was, and how lacking her own form remained. Deciding that her own feelings were fruitless, she climbed back down the old ash tree and made her way to the Great Hall where she found her cousins, Al Potter and Roxanne Weasley.

"Oi! Where have you been?" Roxanne asked, waving for Rose to join her at the Gryffindor table.

Rose looked over to Al at the Slytherin table and winked to let him know she was fine. He rolled his eyes and went back to talking to his best mate, Scorpius Malfoy. They shared a quiet joke with each other, and she had to fight the strange feeling that they were laughing at her. She grabbed some pudding and turned her attention to Professor McGonagall's welcoming speech.

"Pssst! Rose! Did you see who else has the 'big H' on their robes?" Roxy asked, her freckled face bending into a huge grin. She pointed toward Slytherin and in the direction of Al.

"Roxy, I know it's not Al," Rose said, crossing her arms.

"Scorpius bloody Malfoy!" Roxy said extremely loudly.

Rose cringed, sure that others had heard her. She turned around and found the bright, blonde, shoulder length hair that cloaked the face of Scorpius Malfoy, who was leaning into Al and telling him a tale that seemed to make her normally cool cousin blush.

Rose shrugged. What was big new for Roxy wasn't really anything special for Rose. Roxy's wild personality and her need for the latest gossip caused her to be fascinated by the mysterious platinum-haired wizard who seemed to spark many girls' interest despite appearing completely average to Rose. All she knew was that he was a good Quidditch player, her cousin's best friend, and a prefect. Nothing special. Rose laughed at Roxy's eagerness.

After dinner, Rose's heart fluttered with excitement as she ascended the stairs to her own private room. She finally had a bathroom, shower, and bedroom all to herself. She would no longer have to watch other girls dress as she silently compared her own body to theirs, finding herself always on the lacking end. Roxy had benefited from her mother's genes, inheriting her fabulous body, while Rose seemed to look like a longhaired version of her father. There had been a time when this had caused her to feel special, but as time passed, the freckles, bright hair, and long thin body were just disappointing. The only thing Rose had inherited from her mother was Hermione's impossibly curly hair. As she brushed it out in front of the mirror in her own room, she scowled just a bit in bitterness.

Moments later, Rose was broken out of her own self-pity by a knock on her door.

_You are strong but you're needy,  
Humble but you're greedy  
And based on your body language,  
And shotty cursive I've been reading_

She opened her door to find Scorpius standing there looking a little nervous. "I thought we should be officially acquainted, not just know of each other, since we'll be working together."

"Ummm…sure. Come on in," Rose said, gesturing to him to sit in one of the two cushioned chairs on the area rug in front of her bed. She brushed herself making tea at the small wood stove while he shifted the books on her table.

"Yes. Well…what is your schedule like for this term? I only have one free period for study, and it doesn't seem like nearly enough," Scorpius said with a fake sort of brightness in his voice.

Rose laughed to herself at his attempt to be professional and friendly when all of his body language said he would rather be anywhere else. "I only have one as well. I've got N.E.W.T. level Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, and Herbology," Rose said, double-checking her schedule.

"Oh! We'll have Longbottom's class together." Scorpius looked happy at that fact, but didn't really seem like he cared.

"It's Professor Longbottom to you," Rose said sharply before she could stop herself.

A wide, devious grin spread across Scorpius' face at her tiny outburst. The way his icy eyes bored into her made Rose shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"So, are you looking to become an Auror like your old man?" Scorpius asked, folding his hands over his lap.

"I was thinking of curse breaking like Uncle Bill," Rose said, smiling at the thought.

"I guess I was fooled by Herbology, which obviously wouldn't be needed for curse breaking." Scorpius quirked his eyebrow, a knowing smirk on his lips. The look in his eyes made Rose uneasy.

"I supposed you'll be living off your family's ill-gotten fortune, becoming bloated with entitlement, and doing nothing with your life." Rose snapped, rising up to pour the tea.

Scorpius looked struck for a split second before he seemed to smile a genuine smile, his chest puffing out for an argument.

"Oh I don't know, but I do have the money for it," he said, reaching around to get his tea. His hand brushed against her waist and Rose shuttered slightly. He sat back down and rested his cup on one of her books.

"So, Malfoy," said Rose, emphasizing his name with a curl of her lip. "How's your team looking this year?"

"We've got some promising new stars. We're no Tornadoes, but we may just beat you this year," he said, a lopsided grin on his face.

Rose smiled back, feeling that maybe he was finally in her room by choice, "Tornadoes blow."

"Oh Really? And I supposed you're a Harpy Head?" he answered, lifting an eyebrow.

"Canons all the way!" Rose exclaimed indignantly, lifting her school sweater to reveal an orange undershirt with the Canon's logo. Scorpius seemed to blush momentarily.

_Your style is quite selective,  
Though your mind is rather reckless  
Well I guess it just suggests  
That this is just what happiness is_

They fell into conversation about the possibility of a World Cup match between the Tornadoes and the Canons the following summer, and before she knew it, the clock on her wall read eleven o' clock.

"Bloody hell! You've got to go!" Rose shouted, gathering up his things.

"Why?" Scorpius said, sounding a little hurt. "We don't have a curfew."

It was Rose's turn to hide a blush. "Sorry, I guess old habits die hard."

"The old habit of kicking men out of your room?" Scorpius raised a brow at her again as he put on his cloak.

Rose giggled, the laughter even surprising herself. "Well, we have a long first day tomorrow anyway," she said, opening the door.

"McGonagall is going to give us a guideline scroll and a school events calendar. Since we have to keep it all secret anyways, we might as well discuss the information with each other. Same time on Friday? My room?" Scorpius said, his cold eyes suddenly getting warmer.

"Sure," Rose whispered, unsure of how to read this unfamiliar version of Scorpius. She lingered in her doorway a little too long as he walked away.

(((((((((((((((()(((()))))))))))))))))(((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))

"Herbology is a delicate art, steeped in detail and fact as well as intuition. Over the years in my classes, you have learned the details, the finer points of many magical plants. You already know their properties in most potions, their usefulness in healing, and whether to avoid them or not. What you don't know is how your instincts play into the cultivation and use of the items we have been introduced to throughout our education. N.E.W.T. level Herbology will guide you through that last step," Professor Longbottom spoke with an unmistakable passion as he addressed his Seventh Year class.

Scorpius couldn't help but glance over at Rose, who looked like she had just ingested a large amount of Amortentia, hanging on every word with stars in her eyes. Of course Al had told him about her little crush, but Scorpius couldn't believe someone like Rose Weasley, so cool and poised, would ever stoop to having a crush on a professor.

After their talk the previous evening, he had gained an amount of respect for the tall redhead, and that was something Scorpius didn't give out very willingly to his peers. The time they had spent together left him conflicted, with his newfound affection for her battling against her childish display of idiocy.

"With that being said," Professor Longbottom smiled; he opened a locked trunk, reached in, and pulled out a writhing Devil's Snare. Some members of the class screamed, some got out of their seats, and the rest just stayed frozen in one place. Scorpius found himself in the final group, sitting close to a frozen Albus Potter, who seemed to be clinging to an equally frightened Rose.

"There are two things you must know to repot Devil's Snare," Professor Longbottom started, not affected at all by his frightened students.

"Why would we want to repot that stuff?" Roxanne Weasley asked, her wild hair seeming to stand up in every direction.

"Because, Devil's Snare at full health is not only a good security addition to a home, but can be found in the Draught of Living Death. We need to repot this so that you can make the potion for Professor Burnette in a few months," he said, unfazed by the hostility in Roxanne's voice. "Your dad has also ordered some, Roxanne, though I can't tell you why," he finished, winking.

At that wink, Rose giggled even more loudly than she had with Scorpius the previous night.

"Ahhh, Rose! Just the person I need," Professor Longbottom said, smiling at her before looking at Scorpius.

The younger wizard scowled before he could stop himself.

"And Mr. Malfoy, why don't we have our Head Boy and Girl try it first?"

Scorpius went to shake his head, but Rose leapt up, earning yet another smile from Professor Longbottom. Scorpius reluctantly followed her.

"There are two things you must do to prevent the Snare from attacking as you repot it. And remember, we don't want it dead," he said, motioning for Rose and Scorpius to begin.

Rose looked over at Professor Longbottom in fear, but he just patted her shoulder. Rose's ears turned bright red and Scorpius thought he was going to be sick.

"What do you reckon? If sun kills it, what would calm it? Moonlight?" Rose said, looking apprehensively at the plant.

"I think you might be right! Brilliant, Rose," Scorpius said with a little relief. "But what else?"

They sat there pondering briefly as the plant seemed to become more agitated and it's small pot began to vibrate. Suddenly, Scorpius was struck with an idea.

"Stroke it!" he whispered to her.

"Excuse me?" she said, looking slightly confused.

"To calm a dragon, you have to gently stroke its neck. What if this is the same thing?" he said, whispering so closely that his lips brushed her ear. Scorpius felt a jolt through his body at the contact.

She smiled widely at him, her full pink lips stretching over impossibly perfect teeth.

"Let's go for it. I'll cast a _Lumos Lunar_. You get to rubbing," she grinned and he felt very proud to earn that look on her face.

As Rose lit a blue light over them, and Scorpius began carefully massaging the stems, Professor Longbottom exclaimed in excitement.

"That's it! Brilliant work, guys!" he said, putting an arm around them both. The look on Rose's face as he congratulated them made Scorpius furious.

_"Who is she to act in such a manner?" /I_ He thought. _Yeah, but you would love it if she looked at you that way." _his subconscious answered him.

The thought surprised him. Suddenly the plant struck out, wrapping itself firmly around Scorpius' neck, and everything faded to black.

_And what a beautiful mess this is  
It's like we're picking up trash in dresses_

When he woke, Scorpius was on the floor of the greenhouse, Rose's deep green eyes gazing into his with worry. He had to resist the urge to reach out and touch her smooth, pale, freckled cheek.

"Are you okay, Scorpius?" Rose asked, putting her hand softly on his chest. His heart seemed to race at the contact.

"M'alright," he mumbled.

"And this is why you must never feel any strong emotions while handling Devil's Snare. They can sense it," Professor Longbottom said, now passing out pots to the class.

"Professor Longbottom says you should go to Madame Chang just in case," Rose said, helping him up.

"I'm fine," he exclaimed, trying to touch out the sharp pain in his neck.

"Just come on," Rose said, grabbing his arm and dragging him to the castle.

"So how did you know that about dragons? That's something only someone who has studied them really knows," Rose asked, her long legs moving her gracefully through the halls at a nearly impossible speed.

"Must have just read it somewhere," Scorpius lied, avoiding her eyes.

Rose looked at him skeptically, but said nothing as they arrived in the Hospital Wing.

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A knock on the door made Scorpius jump, though he had been expecting company. Rose stood in the hall, her tie off, her white shirt unbuttoned very low, and her hair tied up with pencils sticking out of it.

"I don't think I'm going to survive my N.E.W.T.s!" she explained, dropping a stack of books on his table.

"Tell me about it!" Scorpius exclaimed, gesturing to his cluttered desk and showing her his ink-stained hands.

"But McGonagall gave us the calendars and guidelines," Rose said, tossing him an unopened scroll. "I thought I'd wait to open it until I saw you.

They sat down in his sitting area and unfurled the parchment. The first Hogsmeade visit was scheduled for late September, earlier than ever. The first Quidditch match was set for October, only 6 weeks away.

"Yes!" Rose squealed. "Mum said if we had a Hogsmeade weekend that we could celebrate her birthday at the Hog's Head. Now the whole family will be in town!"

"How will the town ever fit them all?" he joked, earning him a book at the head which he almost didn't dodge.

"Only six weeks before Quidditch. You think you're up for it, Malfoy?" Rose challenged, taking a drink of pumpkin juice.

"Oh! We'll wipe the floor with you guys," he said, leaning forward in his seat to challenge her eye to eye over the table.

"Likely," she laughed sarcastically. "Let's check out this 'Head Boy and Girl Rules of Conduct' list we need to follow."

"No drinking," Scorpius read.

"Well there goes my three day bender!" Rose said mockingly.

Scorpius couldn't help but chuckle.

"No using magic to harm a student," she continued.

"Because that's not against the law or anything, and we obviously need to be reminded," Scorpius said melodramatically, causing Rose to giggle.

"A's or higher in all classes," at this one, Rose looked worried.

"Oh don't even look at me like that! You know you're brilliant!" Scorpius said, kicking at her chair. His knees brushed against her bare legs and he could feel the heat radiating off of her.

"Follow all ascribed school rules to the letter," Rose smirked, doing her best McGonagall impression.

"Really? I thought we could just do whatever we wanted!" Scorpius exclaimed in mock shock. "No fraternizing," he said, and Rose's ears turned red.

"Wow, that one is kind of harsh. Does she expect complete celibacy?" Scorpius asked, this time genuinely shocked.

"No trouble for me there!" she said, fiddling with the books on his table.

Scorpius found her claim absurd. He knew she had dated Dominic Wood the previous year, and he once saw her snogging Eric Finch-Fletchly. With alluring looks like hers, Scorpius was surprised she was in his room on a Friday night at all. He had to shift in his seat at the thought of what he would do to her if she were his for Friday nights.

"Why do you have a Care of Magical Creatures textbook? You're not in it this year," Rose asked, picking up I_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: N.E.W.T. Edition by Rolf Scamander_._ /I_ It had green and silver ribbons jutting out at special sections of the text. Scorpius had spent all his alone time reading through that book in secret last summer.

"Light reading," he said, snatching the book away from her and putting it on his nightstand. He didn't want her knowing that he met with Hagrid once a week for secret lessons, that he secretly loved all manner of magical creatures, or that he longed to study dragons. Not even Al knew that.

"Geesh. Tetchy tonight are we?" Rose said, elbowing him in the side as he walked by.

"You know, 'no fraternizing' would also include any activity with professors, so stop dreaming," Scorpius snapped. He wasn't sure why he said it, but he felt backed into a corner and didn't want her to know his secret.

Rose's porcelain skin grew even paler as her yes watered up and her hears turned red. "What? I…I mean…" she stuttered, gathering her things. She rushed out the door before he could even turn to apologize.

Scorpius punched the door, causing a searing pain in his knuckles. He cursed his father for forbidding him to take Care of Magical Creatures because it was "impractical and unnecessary for success." He just wanted to let it all go, to drop the Malfoy air of superiority and do what he wanted. It just wasn't that simple.

And after what had just happened, he feared he might have lost the one person who could have understood what that felt like.

_Well it kind of hurts when the kind of words you write  
Kind of turn themselves into knives  
And don't mind my nerve you could call it fiction  
But I like being submerged in your contradictions dear  
'Cause here we are, here we are_

Rose pulled on a deep red dress shirt, admiring how it hugged her small waist before belling out over her slight hips. She ran a de-linting spell over her straight black trousers, and made sure the creases were completely in line with the bottom of her knees as her pants flowed down her long legs and over her small ankles. She tied a jeweled necklace around her neck and fastened small matching earrings to her earlobes. Rose glanced forlornly at her black high-heeled shoes, not looking forward to the long walk in such complicated footwear. But it was her mother's birthday, and she wanted to impress her mum with an impeccable professional look that would rival even Hermione Weasley's own sharp way of dressing. As she tied her hair into a complicated twist, Rose smiled, thinking she could pull off her mother's look quite well. Now, all she needed was the look of confidence.

When she finally arrived in Hogsmeade, her feet aching, and Roxanne happily bouncing along in her own stilettos, she could practically feel the excitement run through her at the thought of her entire family all gathered in one place. They opened the double doors to the Hog's Head and were blasted by the sound of cheering and chatter akin to the sounds of Christmas or Easter. Rose was home, in a manner of speaking, and it eased all the weight on her shoulders just a little.

"Rosie!" Rose heard her dad's voice from the other end of the pub, and before she could even begin to search for his bright, sunlit head, he had scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around so her feet swung from side to side.

"Dad! I've only been away for a month, not even!" she exclaimed, enjoying the itchy feeling of his beard on her cheek.

"Too long to be without my little girl," he said, setting her back down. In her heels, she came up higher on him than anyone else in the family besides Uncle Bill and Louis. "And there's m'boy!" Ron exclaimed, pulling Hugo into a fierce hug.

"Blimey, Dad, we've only been gone a month!" Hugo said, hugging him back. Hugo was actually shorter than Rose, shaped more like Uncle George, with straight brown hair, dark eyes, and caramel skin like his mum's. He was solid and muscular, but never played any Quidditch, choosing to spend his time in his mum's vast library on rainy days. Hugo had a fierce and calculating temper though, rising up to challenges much in the way their mother would.

"I guess sentimentality is lost on this generation," Ron mumbled, handing them both a bottle of butterbeer. "Cake, on the other hand, is not. It's over there in the corner, and I think I need another slice of chocolate gateau before your mother eats it all."

"Ron! I've only had one piece," Hermione exclaimed, wiping chocolate from the corner of her mouth with a napkin. She pulled Rose and Hugo into tight little hugs as they wished her a happy birthday. She then asked after their classes, and Hugo took over the conversation quite enthusiastically.

While Rose pretended to listen, she saw Scorpius standing next to Al and talking to Uncle Harry about something that appeared very serious. Scorpius looked over and met her eyes, and she inadvertently blushed at his piercing gray gaze. His face seemed to echo an apology, so Rose nodded and smiled at him slightly. Despite how his words had hurt her, she had missed her new friend terribly over their two-week hiatus. She hadn't realized how easy he was to talk to until she had no one else but Roxanne to vent her problems to. Rose was moving to say hello to Scorpius when she was pulled into another soft and affectionate hugs. Those were like bowtruckles on trees in the Weasley Family.

_Although you were biased I love your advice  
Your comebacks they're quick  
And probably have to do with your insecurities  
There's no shame in being crazy  
Depending on how you take these  
Words I'm paraphrasing this relationship we're staging_

"Oh hullo Gran! I didn't know you would be here!" Rose said, exclaiming her pleasure at seeing her grandmother again so soon.

"Of course, dear, someone had to make the gateau! And eat it of course," she winked. She then also asked after Rose's classes and her Head Girl duties.

Rose talked her ear off, losing sight of Scorpius. Once she had made it through the gauntlet of various aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, Scorpius was still nowhere to be found, and the heat was starting to go to her head in the small wooden pub. She spied the exit and eagerly anticipated the cool September evening air.

"Rose, how lovely to see you," came a soft voice from behind her. Luna Lovegood was gazing up at her with entrancing blue eyes and a content but distant look on her face.

"Oh Aunt Luna! I thought you were to be in Albania all summer," Rose said, happy for the surprise.

"Oh I thought I should introduce my lover to my friends," she said breathily, taking the arm of a striking man with dark hair and blue eyes. "This is Rolf Scamander, fellow naturalist."

"Oh! But you're the writer of our Care of Magical Creatures text!" Rose exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, to be honest, my Grandfather, Newt, wrote the first two. I only wrote the most recent one," he answered shyly, a light in his eyes that seemed to match well with Luna's ethereal glow.

"We're going to the forests outside of Budapest to hunt wrackspurts soon," Luna said, as if she was discussing the weather.

"That sounds wonderful," Rose answered, too warm in her dress clothes to want to go into whatever exactly a wrackspurt was. "Mr. Scamander, you really must meet my friend, Scorpius. He's very interested in your work. Oh, and there he is!" Rose said, finding Scorpius standing alone in a corner.

"Draco's son, interesting…." Luna never finished, taking Rolf's arm and guiding him toward Scorpius.

Rose made her way to the exit. The September evening was as cool as Rose had hoped for, and she lifted her chin to let the breeze dance across her overheated neck and chest.

"How about Luna and Rolf, huh?" a familiar voice came in from the shadows. Neville walked toward her with a drink in his hand.

Rose smiled, a blush creeping to her cheeks as Neville stood next to her and his arm brushed against hers. "I know! I thought Aunt Luna was going to be a single woman of the world her whole life."

"Did you happen to notice the fullness of her face and the roundness of her stomach?" Neville said, winking and raising his glass.

"Oh Merlin!" Rose said, gasping, but an even larger smile crept across her face.

"Yeah, love happens when you least expect it, to the people you least expect, and most often with the least likely partners. I mean, one minute I'm a chubby boy afraid of my professors, and the next minute I'm chopping the head off of a snake and married to a lovely pub owner!" Neville smiled wistfully, putting his arm around Rose's shoulders.

She leaned into his warm embrace and let her head fall to his chest.

"Of course, your parents were so obvious, we were taking bets!" added Professor Longbottom.

His jovial laughter shook through her whole body, and his warmth seemed to envelope her. The feeling was so real, and his affection was so clear, that Rose felt her feelings for Neville might not have been as foolish as she had thought. She lifted her head and noticed her nose just in line with his lips. Rose closed the distance with a small stretch of her neck, and soon her lips had connected with his soft, gentle mouth. The few seconds she was connected to him felt glorious, she felt wanted, she felt adult, and she felt in control.

Then he pulled away.

"Rose? What are you…what did you…why?" he stuttered, moving away from her and back toward the door. "Rose I'm married! You're Ron's little girl! You're my student!" he exclaimed, a horrified look on his face.

When Rose saw the truth in his eyes, heard the shock in his voice, and felt the cold air as he moved quickly away from her, she understood completely. Once again, she had not known what she was doing. Once again she had not been good enough. Once again she had not lived up to any of her family's legacy. Rose thought of the farthest thing away from Hogwarts she could picture, and Disapparated immediately.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

_And what a beautiful mess this is  
It's like picking up trash in dresses_

After meeting Rolf and asking him a few questions about continuing dragon studies, Scorpius had decided to search for Rose and finally make amends. After not seeing her in the bar, and asking Lily to look for her in the loo, he concluded that she must have gone outside. He walked out to the front of the pub, and heard a man's laughter coming from the back. He walked around quickly to see if Rose was near.

What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks: Rose was in an embrace with Professor Longbottom, her long neck stretched up to him, and her lips firmly latched onto his own. Scorpius' body surged with jealousy and anger, furious that a trusted professor would take advantage of a young student, would do that to _his_ Rose. Just as he was about to fume and walk away, Professor Longbottom pulled away, a horrified look on his face.

Scorpius cringed as Neville reacted with shock and horror. He could see Rose's face melt away, her shoulders slump, and her eyes begin to water. He wanted to run out and comfort her, to do something, but she had disappeared right before his eyes.

"Rose! Rose!" Scorpius ran to the place where she had just Disapparated, shouting for her frantically. He looked over to find Professor Longbottom sitting on a step with his head in his hands.

"She just, she kissed me! I didn't do anything. I don't want to hurt her feelings, but…." Neville said, looking frantically up at Scorpius.

"I know, but now we need to make sure she didn't go somewhere dangerous," Scorpius said, helping his professor up.

"I need to tell Ron and Hermione. Oh god they are going to kill me!" Neville said, running inside the pub. Scorpius followed, not wanting to back down until he knew Rose was okay.

Scorpius watched as Neville walked into the pub and led Mr. and Mrs. Weasley outside, while he waited at the door, feeling almost like an unwelcome observer.

"Oi! Nev, why did you take us out here, the party is in there?" Mr. Weasley exclaimed, already inebriated.

"I need to tell you something," Professor Longbottom said, attempting to muster up his courage.

Mr. Weasley's expression immediately changed, and all traces of inebriation were gone. Mrs. Weasley walked up and put her arm around Neville.

"Oh Neville, what is the matter," she said gently, the expression on her face mimicking Rose's when she helped the first years.

"Rose kissed me, and now she's disappeared," Professor Longbottom said, his voice shaking.

Mrs. Weasley gasped, but Mr. Weasley grabbed the professor's neck and slammed him against the side of the pub. Scorpius leapt forward, trying to pull at Mr. Weasley.

"You get off of me, Malfoy! And you tell me what the hell you did with my little girl!" Mr. Weasley said, throwing Scorpius to the side.

Mrs. Weasley helped him up and pointed her wand at the two men. "First, Ronald, this is not Draco, this is Draco's son and he means no one any harm. Second, Rose is a 17-year-old adult witch, and you need to stop referring to her as your little girl," Mrs. Weasley said sternly.

Scorpius looked at her gratefully; completely aware of why Mr. Weasley would loathe even speaking his surname. Mr. Weasley backed down and released Professor Longbottom.

"Good. Now Neville, could you kindly explain to me why my daughter thought it would be a good idea to kiss her middle aged, married Herbology instructor?" Mrs. Weasley said, sharpness to her voice that Scorpius felt sounded all too familiar.

Professor Longbottom looked at her with horror.

"I can answer that," Scorpius spoke up, trying to find his own courage in the face of Rose's very angry father.

Mrs. Weasley nodded to him.

"Well, she's been fancying Professor Longbottom since she was a little girl. Al told me a while ago, and…well…it's become rather clear to me as of late."

"Oh no! Ron, Hermione, I swear I had no idea!" Professor Longbottom said, looking even more horrified at Scorpius' revelation.

"Of course you didn't, Neville. This isn't your fault," Mrs. Weasley said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"We need to find Rosie, 'Mione," Mr. Weasley said, his anger replaced by worry.

"I'll go get Harry to check the map," Professor Longbottom said, rising up to go back into the pub.

"Actually, Al has that," Scorpius said quietly. This earned a small and knowing smirk from Mr. Weasley.

After checking The Marauder's map and finding she was not in the school, calling on Hagrid and discovering she was nowhere near the forest, and conducting a small search of the village, there was still no trace of Rose.

"I think we're going to have to go to London," Mr. Weasley said quietly. "There's a spot at the park near her grandparent's house where she used to hide when she was a little girl. I think she'll be there."

"Good idea, Ron! Let's alert my parents and get over there," Mrs. Weasley said, fastening her coat.

"I'm coming," said Scorpius and Professor Longbottom simultaneously.

"Neville, I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to be around Rose for a while," Mrs. Weasley said gently. "But I think it might be good if Rose's fellow Head joins us on our search."

"Hermione…" Mr. Weasley started.

"No, Ron. He's her friend, he obviously understands her, and he's Head Boy. I'm sure it will be fine. He's Albus' best friend and he's been in Harry's home more times than I can count. Just let it go," she said emphatically.

Mr. Weasley nodded and Disapparated. Mrs. Weasley grabbed Scorpius' arm and followed.

It was rainy in London, and the night air chilled Scorpius slightly as his hair began to dampen. He took the east wing of the park while Rose's mother and father handled the west. He had never been in Muggle London at night before, and the whizzing cars and flashing lights were very nearly overwhelming. He kept his eyes turned to the dim light of the park, scanning through benches and playground equipment. Thankfully, he saw red sparks go up after no more than five minutes of searching.

Scorpius ran quickly on the smooth sidewalks, wanting to see Rose as soon as he could. He spotted her, leaning against her mother on a bench a few meters away.

"Let's give them a few minutes, eh? You and I can head on over to the Grangers' house, have a cup of something warm, and dry ourselves off," Mr. Weasley said, taking Scorpius' arm and Disapparating.

Scorpius sat in silence as Mr. Weasley talked to Rose's grandparents, explaining what had happened. They nodded sympathetically and shared a private joke about Gilderoy Lockhart that Scorpius didn't seem to understand. When Rose and Mrs. Weasley entered the room a few moments later, Scorpius rose to his feet to welcome the ladies to the table.

"Wow, look at the manners on this one!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed, and Scorpius' face turned red.

"Scorpius, what are you doing here? Can this night get any worse?" Rose asked, her eyes puffed and red.

"I wanted to help look for you," he said, pulling out her chair so that she could take a seat.

"Make a bloke look bad," Mr. Weasley mumbled as Mrs. Weasley playfully slapped his arm.

"How much do you know? What did you see?" Rose whispered to him frantically as her parents and grandparents fell into some friendly conversation.

"Enough, Rose. But don't worry about that right now, it's not a big deal," he said, resting a hand on her back. She rolled her eyes, but there was a small smile forming on her lips.

"Are you guys okay to Apparate back on your own? We've arranged it with Headmistress McGonagall so that she will meet you at the front gate and make sure you arrive safely." Mrs. Weasley asked.

"We'll be fine, mum," Rose said. Scorpius nodded, and soon they were putting on their dried cloaks and heading out the door.

"This wasn't exactly all too exciting for my first night in London, but I'm glad you're alright," Scorpius whispered, putting an arm around her shoulder as they got to the front porch. He decided to Side-Along-Apparate back to school with Rose, as she was still a little shaken from her rough evening.

Following the Headmistress back to the castle felt like it lasted for an eternity. Being Heads, neither of them was in trouble. It had been officially determined that Rose had gone to her grandmother's home under parental supervision and that Scorpius had accompanied them.

Scorpius wondered how much McGonagall actually knew, and how much had been kept from her. Judging by the way Rose was staring at the back of her head, she was wondering the same thing.

The three walked in silence until they reached the entryway, then McGonagall bid them goodnight and left for her rooms. Rose silently turned to walk toward her room.

"Rose," Scorpius pleaded.

She froze, but didn't turn around. "I don't want to talk about this…ever," she said through gritted teeth.

"Can I see you back to your room?" he asked quietly.

She nodded and continued walking, sniffling lightly on her way. Scorpius chanced a hand on the small of her back as they walked up the steps, and she didn't pull away.

"How long were you standing there?" she said after giving the password to the doorknocker on her suite.

"That doesn't matter," he answered quickly as they walked into her room.

She was quiet for a moment, her shoulders stiff. "God damn it, Scorpius! Stop being a bloody fucking gentleman all the time and just be honest with me!" Rose yelled, angry tears dripping down her freckled face.

Rose was right in his face, her long fingers clenched into fists. She looked magnificent to him: as tall as he was, her green eyes meeting his with a spark -- her long, lean body exuding power and heat. He wanted nothing more than to tangle his hands in her hair and kiss her with abandon, but she had asked for honestly and he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Do you want to know what I saw?" he said, pressing his chest against hers. "I saw you talking, I saw you laughing, and then I saw those gorgeous lips pressed up against his. After that, I saw red. I wanted to be him! I wanted you to look at me that way! I wanted to feel your lips on mine! I wanted to run my fingers through you hair! I still do!" Scorpius yelled, letting his words spill out unfiltered.

Rose stood frozen, her eyes wide, her mouth moving wordlessly in shock. Scorpius reached out and cupped his hand to her cheek. As he let his thumb glide over her lips, she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

Scorpius pulled her face toward him and crashed his lips to hers. She held still after a sharp intake of breath, but soon her lips began to soften. He pressed his body more firmly against hers, moving an arm around her waist. Rose moaned quietly when he ran his tongue along her lips, and soon he was reveling in the smooth, sweet warmth of her mouth. He gently pressed her back to the wall, grinding against her, wanting to be as close to her as he could be.

Her long legs wrapped easily around his waist, and he groaned in pleasure at the contact of her center against his erection. Scorpius dared to snake a hand up the back of Rose's shirt, and she became impossibly still.

"Rose?" Scorpius asked cautiously.

"I'm sorry. I can't mess up twice in a row," Rose said sadly, "especially in one night." She moved to her door and opened it, unable to meet his eyes as Scorpius silently left.

_Well it kind of hurts when the kind of words you say  
Kind of turn themselves into blades  
And kind and courteous is a life I've heard  
But it's nice to say that we played in the dirt oh dear  
Cause here we are, Here we are_

(((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))(((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))

Ignoring the situation was working wonders for Rose Weasley…sort of. She and Scorpius were back to being friends and enjoying Friday evening chats, but one month later, she couldn't help but let her eyes linger on his form longingly when he wasn't looking. She could feel his eyes on her as well. Despite this, Rose still felt she had managed to maintain her friendship with Scorpius, and she found that to be a much better compromise for her unruly emotions.

Since it was early in the term, Rose managed to drop Herbology altogether, replacing it with the more practical Ancient Runes. Rose had not been forced to face Neville…Professor Longbottom for weeks, and that suited her just fine. While she got off from her "little mistake" with no added humiliation, her stomach ached with guilt because she was ignoring an old friend.

As Rose was ascending to her room to get ready for the Halloween Feast, an owl caught up with her and dropped a note on her shoulder.

_Rose,_

_Sorry, but something has come up and I won't be at the feast tonight._

_-Scorpius_

Rose was disappointed and a little hurt that he had something better to do, but resolved that she would have fun with Al and Roxanne just as well.

"_Besides, a guy like that can't spend too long without a bird just because you want him to_,"Rose thought.

She got into her room, opened the package her mother had sent her, and pulled out a cat costume that her mother had worn a few years before to many raised eyebrows from the community and a happy grin from her dad. She was glad to see that the costume had already been adjusted for her height. Rose stretched the tight striped costume over her body, charmed the tail, and placed the ears on top of her curly head. After some drawn-on whiskers and some lip gloss, she headed down to the feast looking forward to a good time.

Roxy was a naughty nurse, of course, complete with treats from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes that could give people temporary feathers, fur, or scales. She pranced around offering her 'medicine' with hilarious results. Al was a _Patronus_, having found a charm that made him give off an ethereal blue light, and then covering himself in white body paint. He was too surrounded by girls cooing over his shirtless form to be bothered. Rose sighed and took a seat at the table in the center. Luckily, she was too famished to be lonely and quickly heaped piles of food (mostly sweets) on her plate thinking that maybe Grandma Weasley had been right about her hollow leg.

"Like father like daughter, eh?" a voice rang out behind Rose, making her jump.

She feared turning around or making eye contact, but then Professor Longbottom took the free seat next to her, dressed from head to toe like a Venomous Tentacula, and began filling his plate. Rose sank more deeply into her chair.

"Yeah, Ron never said a word when he ate either. Certainly makes it less awkward if we both talk though," he said, looking at her cautiously.

Rose bit her tongue. She had no idea what in the world she was supposed to say to a long-time family friend, her teacher since she had been eleven years old, and the man she happened to kiss a month ago to unsavory results. She shoved another bite of custard into her mouth and just solemnly nodded, hoping that the custard contained one of Roxy's treats, so she could just beg off with a bad case of feathers.

"Why did you drop out of Herbology?" Neville asked.

Rose wished she could just disappear. "I want to be a curse breaker, so I needed to take Ancient Runes," Rose explained, which was partially true.

"I see. Well, that's too bad. You're the best student I've ever had in that class, and I would have loved to see you finish your N.E.W.T. in it," Neville said.

Rose couldn't help but be comforted by his easy smile. "Thank you," she said meekly. "Maybe I could still do the N.E.W.T. level classes requited to become a curse breaker and just take your class as an independent study."

"That's a great idea! Scorpius already does it for Care of Magical Creatures. I'm sure I can find the time to accommodate you in the same way," Neville said, as both of their demeanors seemed to ease.

"What? Scorpius is doing what?" Rose said, realizing what Neville had just intoned.

"Independent study. Hagrid says he is a right genius, especially with Dragons," Neville said, taking a casual sip of his wine.

"I need to go," Rose said quickly.

It dawned on her where Scorpius must be, and she needed to talk to him. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that she wasn't going to judge him for doing something he loved. She wanted him to know he could tell her anything. She got up and summoned her cloak from the nearby cloakroom.

"Of course, I do believe Hagrid has a lesson tonight," Neville said, winking.

"Thank you, Neville," Rose said, looking at him meaningfully.

She was thanking him for understanding, for being careful with her feelings, and for still treating her with respect. He seemed to get the point, and just nodded at her, lifting his glass.

_What a beautiful mess this is  
It's like taking a guess when the only answer is yes_

By the time Hagrid's hut came into view, Rose could just make out Hagrid's massive form entering the woods with the shadow of a smaller form and a large dog. She ran as quickly as she could in cat heels, trying to catch up to them. She could follow Hagrid's bouncing lantern and the light from Scorpius' wand through the twists and turns of the Forbidden Forest, but she never seemed to reach where they were going. She continued to walk deeper in the darkness, following their lights, even as her feet began to blister and ache.

Finally they stopped, and Rose could finally walk to the small clearing where they had gathered. She tried to look around Hagrid's large body to see what they were staring at, but the view wasn't very good. So, she trotted over to the other end of the clearing, where she had to cover her mouth to stifle a gasp.

There were three gigantic eggs, far too large to belong to any bird, and one broken egg as well. As Scorpius smiled and laughed loudly, a small dragon could be seen climbing up his sleeve and letting out benign puffs of smoke. Hagrid laughed jovially, encouraging the little thing to fly as Scorpius stood there spinning around to get a better view of the newborn's face. Rose couldn't hide any longer. She wanted to be close to Scorpius when he had such a bright look on his face.

Just as she was about to call out, Rose felt two powerful hands close around her as a third hand gripped her neck. She cried out in fear as she struggled against the unseen forces. Her arms were pinned to her side, and she had no way to get to her wand. She screamed louder and Hagrid came bounding towards her, Scorpius in his wake.

"Bane, you ruddy animal, what the devil are yeh doin t'her?" Hagrid said, his face turning red in anger.

"Rose!" Scorpius shouted, running after her. One of the centaurs ran forward and reared up, knocking Scorpius down with his two front hooves.

"You put me down this instant! I have done nothing wrong!" Rose said, beginning to fight her captors when she realized who they were.

"This human was wandering around our forest, probably spying on us. She was stealing our secrets!" another centaur said, leaping forward and gesturing angrily.

"I was not! I was looking for Hagrid and Scorpius!" she said indignantly, still fighting. Suddenly, she felt something sharp and cold against her neck. She began to hold still, fearing for her life.

"You unhand her this minute! She's with me!" Hagrid shouted, getting closer.

Rose let out a cry as the cold tip of an arrow punctured her skin slightly.

Scorpius drew his wand.

"How dare you," Bane said, twisting toward Scorpius. "How dare a human mock me by pulling his wand?"

"I wouldn't have to if you'd just let her go," Scorpius said through clenched teeth.

"She's a spy! She's even done a poor job of disguising herself!" another centaur shouted, ripping her cloak off to reveal her cat costume.

"She was with us ter watch the hatchlings," Hagrid said, his hands raised as he slowly approached the herd.

"We'll let it go this time," came an old, quiet voice from the center of the herd. "But next time humans comes through here unaccompanied, we will punish them for spying."

Hagrid nodded, and Bane tossed Rose to the ground. She gripped her neck tightly feeling her blood trickle painfully downward. Scorpius rushed forward and healed her neck before pulling her close to him.

"We better get to going before they change their minds," Hagrid said.

They jumped up quickly from their embrace. The pair ran from the forest on his command, Fang at their heels and Hagrid leading the way.

When they got back to the hut, Hagrid told them they had better get back up to school, as it was quite late and McGonagall would have his hide if she found out about their little trip, so Rose and Scorpius quickly slipped back into her room.

As soon as she was safely ensconced in her suite, Rose began to shake, sitting carefully in one of her stuffed chairs. Scorpius stood next to her and pulled her head to his chest. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gripped him tightly, reveling in the woodsy, slightly cinnamon smell of him. She let his slow breath on the top of her head calm her, closing her eyes when he kissed her forehead. When her shakes had subsided, she pulled back.

"I need to go wash my face and get this damned costume off," Rose laughed, rubbing a tear from her cheek, the black of her painted whiskers coming with it.

"Oh, but you're so cute as a kitty," Scorpius mocked dryly.

Rose swatted him playfully and sauntered into her washroom, her tail swaying behind her. She quickly washed her face, took her hair down, and peeled the ridiculous costume away from her body. Why her mother had ever worn that, she didn't want to know. Rose put on a pair of jeans and a Canon's tee shirt, feeling much more like herself. When she walked back into her sitting room, Scorpius was standing with his back to her and facing the fire. While she was sure he wasn't looking, she let her eyes rake over his broad shoulders, slim waist, and firm arse. She felt absolutely intrusive, but she just couldn't look away.

"So, independent study in Care of Magical Creatures?" Rose said gently, walking up next to him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's a foolish love, it's impractical, and it's definitely not the key to success," Scorpius said as though he was channeling his father.

"And what makes you think I care about something like that? If it makes you happy, I think it's brilliant to pursue it," Rose said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I know, I should have told you. I guess I got so used to hiding it from everyone that I hid it from someone I trusted, too," he said, taking her hand and kissing the fingertips. His gray eyes met hers, burning with intensity.

"Scorpius…"

"I almost lost you Rose. He was hurting you. He could have killed you," Scorpius whispered desperately, grabbing both of her hands.

"I'm here now," Rose said, melting to the heat of his touch. She reached up and kissed him gently, moving her hands to snake around his neck.

He breathed her in deeply, his own arms surrounding her and pulling her closely toward him. Feeling his entire body moving against her, Rose couldn't hold back. She pressed her tongue into his mouth, letting her tongue dance enticingly across his, the heat of his mouth feeling like bliss to her worn out soul. She pulled his cloak off of his shoulders, placing her hands on the strong area of his upper arms and kissing his neck softly.

"Rose," he whispered, tilting his head back and pressing his hips against hers.

She could feel his want for her and it sparked the fire that had been burning for him since that first kiss. He leaned his head back down and captured her lips again, his hands twining in her hair. She began to unbutton the starched white shirt he was wearing, her fingers dancing across each inch of pale skin as it was revealed to her. Finally, the shirt slipped over his shoulders and Rose ran her hands up and down his long back. She began to kiss down his chest before pausing at two large bruises on his ribs.

"I'm so sorry," she croaked, kissing the hoof shaped bruises on his flawless skin.

"It's not your fault love," he answered, pulling her chin back up and letting his hands fall to the curve of her bum. He pulled her tight against him, his erection hitting her center, and she moaned loudly before he captured her in another searing kiss.

His hands reached up the back of her shirt, deftly unfastening her bra, before lifting both over her head swiftly. She was suddenly exposed to him, but the feeling of his warm chest pressed against hers wiped away any insecurity that threatened her in that moment. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around him, driving her center against his, eliciting sharp breaths of pleasure from both of them.

He moved them over to the bed, dropping her lightly on the velvet coverlet before covering her with his body. He leaned up on his arms, one hand coming up to run along her cheek and he trailed a finger along her jaw line. He moved his hand lower, cupping her small breast in it, and she arched her back against his warm touch. He dipped is head down and his lips enclosed her other nipple, sending a ripple of pleasure right to her center and causing her to cry out slightly. He continued to kiss, caress, and lick her chest, as Rose let her hands run through is smooth blonde hair.

Scorpius began to ghost his lips down around Rose's navel, making her laugh slightly. He lifted his head up and smiled at her, the same big grin he had when the little dragon was dancing on his arms, and she nearly melted right there. It was in that moment that Rose realized Scorpius meant more to her than she had ever realized. She wanted to look into those gray eyes every day, and see that big smile every chance she could get. What she was feeling for Scorpius was a way she had never felt for anyone before.

Scorpius must have seen the change in her expression, because as his fingers paused over the buttons on her jeans, he looked at her with concern.

"Is this okay?" he said, his fingers brushing underneath the waist of her bottoms.

"Of course…I want this," Rose said, pulling Scorpius back up to meet her lips.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, kissing back down her abdomen, pausing to pay attention to her breasts.

When he got to her waist again, she undid her jeans and pulled them carefully over her feet. Rose began to shiver lightly with insecurity at being so exposed. She swallowed her fear and her pride when Scorpius kneeled in between her legs and ran his long hands over her bare body. His hands ran lightly over her covered center and she moaned.

"Want to make you feel good, Rose. Want to hear you," Scorpius mumbled, carefully pulling off her cotton panties.

Rose could feel herself quiver again. She had never been this exposed, and had never gone that far with anyone before. She was ready to let go, but she didn't understand at all what to expect. Scorpius ran his finger in between her folds and Rose's hips thrust upward with waves of need. He continued his ministrations, running his thumb over her sensitive nub and inserting two fingers inside of her.

His lips ran up her neck, locking on her pulse point and his fingers began to pump in and out of her. Rose could feel her muscles tightening and opened her eyes to see Scorpius staring intently at her. She rolled her head back and let his lips press against her skin, and for him to lightly bite her shoulder. The slight sting of his teeth against her flesh sent her over the edge and her entire body tightened. She called out his name, holding tightly to his shoulders.

When her breathing slowed, he was lying on his side next to her, running his hands lightly over her body. He lifted a blanket over her and moved like he was about to leave. She grabbed him and pulled him against her naked body, kissing him hard. She snaked her hand down and found his erection, which was still throbbing through his sleek black trousers. He moaned, biting his lip as his hips thrust against her hand.

She quickly undid his belt and began to take down his trousers. He stood up and removed all of his remaining clothes, climbing back into the bed with Rose. She pulled him against her and gasped when his erection pressed against her wet center. She reached down and wrapped her hand around him, feeling the thick, silky-smooth heat in her hand. He was thick and slightly longer than she would have imagined, and she worried that he would hurt her. He grabbed her hand and pushed it away.

"I won't last much longer and I want to be inside of you. I need you," Scorpius groaned, pressing his fingers inside of her again.

"Yes…need you too…" Rose said breathlessly.

Scorpius leaned on top of her, kissing her gently. "This isn't a one time thing for me, you have to know that."

"I know, and I care about you just as much," Rose whispered, letting her hand rest on his cheek.

She could feel the head of his cock slide across her most sensitive parts before Scorpius entered hear, sheathing himself inside of her. There was an instant stinging pain and Rose froze, trying not to cringe. Scorpius gasped and his body froze as well.

"Rose, you're…you've never…" he said, looking panicked.

Rose just nodded, trying to hold back tears.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Didn't want you to stop," she said, groaning. She wanted him to move so badly, but she wanted the pain to stop as well.

"I wouldn't have. God, Rose, I'm hurting you," he cried, leaning his head against her neck.

"Need you to move. Want to feel you," she moaned, bravely pressing her hips up to take him in farther. The pain had already begun to lessen.

He groaned and thrust back against her. Soon, he was pushing in and out of her, and the pain vanished. She felt glorious, feeling him move inside of her, she felt connected and filled. She felt like something precious, beautiful and strong. She could feel his body tense, and she gripped his shoulders tightly.

"Scorpius," she whispered, meeting his eyes.

He moaned, his eyes rolling back. "Oh Rose, I love you so much," he croaked. She felt him twitch inside of her, spilling into her, and she gasped at the new feeling.

They laid still, gripping each other as their heartbeats slowed and their breathing paced back to normal. He continued to spread lazy kisses across her neck and shoulders as her hands still gripped his shoulders tightly. As the fog cleared from Rose's mind, she remembered his last words.

"Scorpius, what you said," she whispered, rolling onto her side to face him.

"I mean it. I love you. That is not going to change in the morning or even next week," he said, brushing her hair behind her ears.

She wasn't ready to say it back, as she wasn't sure she understood what love was. But as she leaned against Scorpius and drifted off to sleep, Rose Weasley was sure that she was closer to understanding love than she had ever been before. Rose knew one thing for sure; she wasn't letting go of Scorpius for all the Herbology Professors, custard, and Quidditch in the world.

_And through timeless words, and priceless pictures  
We'll fly like birds not of this earth  
And times they turn, and hearts disfigure  
But that's no concern when we're wounded together  
And we tore our dresses, and stained our shirts  
But it's nice today, oh the wait was so worth it.  
_


End file.
